Pandemic Relief Vanessa Rivera

Times were scary once COVID-19 began to spread rapidly in the U.S. back in March. The world didn’t know what to do, and everyone is still trying to figure that out. In this episode, I speak with ordinary people like you and I that have had their own stories with this pandemic. From students in college to a department chair on a COVID-19 response team trying to mitigate everything, each individual has a story to share.

Traveling is at a halt because of the pandemic. For international students, faculty at Marquette, and those working in the airport industry, the changes have been taking a toll on their normal lives. For international students specifically, it’s especially difficult sometimes to go back and forth from their home country and Marquette. With things completely changing, there’s a positive side to every story.

While socializing during the age of COVID-19 can be difficult, playing video games is a normal-feeling way to still socialize with friends.

The online gaming community has been virtually socializing with friends for a long time. Now that people spend time a lot of their time inside, playing video games is an easy way to connect with friends and family.

While the pandemic can be very challenging, why do video games make people feel better?

In this episode, I speak with students gamers at Marquette University that have been playing video games such as Among Us, a very popular game right now, to stay connected with friends and family. I also speak with a counselor at Marquette to understand why this activity can be a mental aid and a great socialization alternative, what exactly goes on in the body when we experience the joy of video games, and the experiences she has speaking with students as video games being the new weekend hobby.